"Both sides are agreed, as we will see, that knowledge of the self is required in
any correctly religious life, that is, in any life oriented towards the attainment of the
highest good." The excerpt taken from page 101 of Indian Philosophy and the
Consequences of Knowledge was really important to me.
Within this article, the author is debating the who, what, when, where, and why of knowledge, and its relation to finding oneself in religion, from two main view points which are the Mīmāṃsakas and the Advaitins. This sentence above represented something that was so true and so relevant in today's times an that finding the knowledge of the self. While this is taken in religious terms, to me finding out who you are can relate to anybody and I am evaluating this phrase in that regard.
I've seen some many children in middle school or younger who just seem so lost because they have no idea as to who they are or who they are supposed to be. All they know is what their elder's tell them, their guardians, teachers, environment and even other friends. They watch all these shows, and listen to all this music and all that new knowledge gets absorbed into their brains that they are convinced that this is them. That how they are being portrayed must be how they are supposed to behave. But what's heartbreaking the most is when I hear stories of counselors in high school telling the same kids that they shouldn't even apply to a Uni or college because they won't get in. That they should focus on sports, or not major in Biology or Mathematics because it's too hard.
Some of these same kids grow older, wondering the world aimlessly until they become adults who are still confused as to their placement on Earth or what they are supposed to be doing. But no matter what is that they are supposed to be doing it starts with them finding out who they are and not who other's seem them as. There's a big difference between the two and it all starts with the self. At least to me that's why this phrase was so important because we all need to find ourselves, to know ourselves, and then later on use that knowledge to better enhance our paths to our 'higher goods.'
any correctly religious life, that is, in any life oriented towards the attainment of the
highest good." The excerpt taken from page 101 of Indian Philosophy and the
Consequences of Knowledge was really important to me.
Within this article, the author is debating the who, what, when, where, and why of knowledge, and its relation to finding oneself in religion, from two main view points which are the Mīmāṃsakas and the Advaitins. This sentence above represented something that was so true and so relevant in today's times an that finding the knowledge of the self. While this is taken in religious terms, to me finding out who you are can relate to anybody and I am evaluating this phrase in that regard.
I've seen some many children in middle school or younger who just seem so lost because they have no idea as to who they are or who they are supposed to be. All they know is what their elder's tell them, their guardians, teachers, environment and even other friends. They watch all these shows, and listen to all this music and all that new knowledge gets absorbed into their brains that they are convinced that this is them. That how they are being portrayed must be how they are supposed to behave. But what's heartbreaking the most is when I hear stories of counselors in high school telling the same kids that they shouldn't even apply to a Uni or college because they won't get in. That they should focus on sports, or not major in Biology or Mathematics because it's too hard.
Some of these same kids grow older, wondering the world aimlessly until they become adults who are still confused as to their placement on Earth or what they are supposed to be doing. But no matter what is that they are supposed to be doing it starts with them finding out who they are and not who other's seem them as. There's a big difference between the two and it all starts with the self. At least to me that's why this phrase was so important because we all need to find ourselves, to know ourselves, and then later on use that knowledge to better enhance our paths to our 'higher goods.'
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